New Paltz High School’s Nordic ski teams dominated the Section IX championship on Feb. 10, sweeping it for the fourth year in a row. All New Paltz skiers medaled in their races.
The sport of Nordic Skiing includes both cross-country and ski jumping events and is present in both collegiate and high school athletic programs across the country. The New Paltz High School program launched in 2023, and the athletes have been successful since the start, competing in 5.6K and 7.5K cross-country races.
In the sectional championship at Minnewaska State Park, Dylan Friedman and Matei Jirka won the individual championship for the men’s and women’s races respectively, coming in first in their 5.6K races.
Three other New Paltz skiers followed behind Friedman in the women’s race: Clio Miller, Gala Dixey and Lujayn Eljamal. As for the men’s race, Jirka was followed by Sam Hollman in second and Elon Rosenthal in fourth.
All of the New Paltz competitors were sent to wrap up their successful seasons in the state meet at Gore Mountain on Feb. 24 and 25, including Roxy deNey-Bhagat for the women’s team.
In the state championships, New Paltz’s men’s and women’s teams placed fifth, with Dylan Friedman and Matei Jirka leading their respective teams once again in the individual races on the first day.
Jirka finished the men’s 7.5K race in 35th place with a time of 30:32.3, while Friedman completed the women’s race in 19th place at 32:54.7.
The next day, the teams did relays. New Paltz’s men’s team finished in 15th place with a time of 29:27.8, while the women’s team came in 13th place at 33:06.7.
“They [the teams] are positive,” said Ann Gregory, Section IX coordinator and head coach of the Nordic ski teams. “We’re lucky … there’s a lot of community support for us to look to.”
Gregory reflected on the season proudly despite some of the challenges they faced. “Our numbers were definitely smaller this year, but I think we just go find the snow. The more time you have on snow, the stronger your program is going to be.”
“In our section, because we don’t have as many schools as these sections that have a lot of snow, we’re allowed to bring six boys and six girls, whereas the other sections are allowed to bring up to 12 boys and 12 girls.”
Even the schools in sections that get more snow, however, have faced declining numbers of Nordic skiers, according to Gregory.
“No, I don’t think it is [growing],” Gregory said, when asked if she thinks the programs have seen noticeable growth in membership recently. “Even the coaches up there [Section II] say their numbers are decreasing, it’s hard. Places where it’s growing, like Rochester, have leagues which develop the young kids, and we can’t do that here because we don’t get consistent snow.”
“Section II, which includes Queensbury, Glens Falls and Guilderland, gets much more snow regularly and it’s easier for students in that area to find places close to them to ski,” Gregory said.
“If we have it [snow] locally, they’ll come out and come to practice … It’s a huge commitment for families that have to take the whole day to get their kid to snow.”
“It’s an expense. If parents have to go up for a weekend and stay in motels, you’re spending time. I would never say our kids aren’t working hard. They just don’t have the opportunity to work hard easier,” she continued.
Gregory expressed her thankfulness for the community and the support they’ve been lent in spreading awareness of their teams.
“Mohonk Mountain House allowed us to give three free presentations up there, just ski clinics, to get parents to bring [their] beginner kids, and then Rock and Snow just gave a big discount for that day for rentals, and it went really well. We had over 100 people in the following year.”
That same year, however, there was little snow that season, which resulted in a lot of cancellations, a challenge the teams have been facing in recent years.
“It frustrates you. You try to make all these efforts, and it doesn’t always pan out. But I think for the kids that you have, you’re very pleased. You just wish you had more things right to get it going,” Gregory said.
Following the end of this school year, each team will lose one member to graduation.
“They’ve both been on since freshman [year], so you certainly have seen their progress that they’ve made and their dedication to it for what they can give. They’re both involved in a lot of things but I think, as any coach, that it’s just great to see progress. They both love the sport. There’s no doubt about that,” Gregory said.